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> yes like all the high tech stuff on the USS Vincennes when it shot
> down the Iran Air Flight 655 on July 3, 1988. The Vincennes was
> allegedly the most electronically sophisticated warship afloat -
> an Aegis cruiser designed to handle hundreds of Soviet bombers
> attacking at once identify friend or foe and kill the bad guys - sadly
> the captain was trigger happy and identified a mode three transponder
> (commercial airliner) as a F14 fighter - electronics are great but when
> you have an asshole interpretating them :-(
>
> regards
>
> David
F-14s also frequently have Mode-III transponders - any aircraft
expecting to operate at any time under civilian ATC procedures do. At
least ten warning calls were made on frequencies all air traffic under
worldwide instrument procedures, most especially airliners carrying
passengers, are supposed to monitor. Additionally, notices had been
published by international aviation authorities of the need to operate
with addtional caution and to monitor appropriate frequencies if
transiting the area due to the known tensions of the region and that
there were naval ships with weapons.
During this event shipping in the area had been harassed several times
by speedboats, and several months prior the missile attack on the USS
Stark by an Iraqi Mirage fighter had occured. Additionally, a
short-term Mode-II return was received from the general location of the
airliner just as it was taking off, then the Mode-III came active.
Finally, the airliner turned directly toward the USS Vicenzes shortly
after all the radio warnings, giving the crew sufficient justification
under the rules of engagement set for them to fire - waiting longer
would have placed the ship in danger from missle attack.
The US Navy did not go to the reqion with direction to target a civilian
airliner. To imply that the Captain of the ship felt like murdering 300
civilians is contemptable.
Billy - just another asshole, apparantly
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